Ensure vs Insure
Ensure and Insure are two words that are often confused, possibly, due to the similar pronunciation of the two words, but strictly speaking, there is some difference between the two words. The word ensure is used in the sense of ‘make sure’. On the other hand, the word insure is used in the sense of ‘cover’ or ‘assure’. This is the basic difference between the two words. Both the words, insure and ensure, are used as verbs. Moreover, the noun form of the word insure is insurance. Insurability is also a noun that is considered a derivative of the word insure.
What does Ensure mean?
The word ensure is used in the sense of make sure. Observe the two sentences given below.
Ensure that you have locked your home.
You have to ensure that you have filled the form correctly.
In both the sentences, you can see that the word ensure is used in the sense of ‘make sure’ and hence, the first sentence can be rewritten as ‘make sure that you have locked your home’, and the meaning of the second sentence would be ‘you have to make sure that you have filled the form correctly’. It is interesting to note that the word ensure is often followed by the word ‘that’.
What does Insure mean?
The word insure is used in the sense of cover or assure. Observe the two sentences given below.
The home is well-insured.
You have to insure your car.
In the two sentences, given above you can find that the word insure is used in the sense of ‘cover’ and hence, the meaning of the first sentence would be ‘the home is well-covered’, and the meaning of the second sentence would be ‘you have to cover your car’. Of course, the inner meaning of the word ‘cover’ is to offer protection against accidents and theft. This is very well explained by the Oxford English dictionary by giving a complete, technical definition of the word insure. Insure is to “arrange for compensation in the event of damage to or loss of (property), or injury to or the death of (someone), in exchange for regular payments to a company or to the state.”
Unlike the word ensure, which is followed often by that, the word insure is not followed often by the word ‘that’. In fact, the word insure is immediately followed by the object.
What is the difference between Ensure and Insure?
• The word ensure is used in the sense of ‘make sure’.
• On the other hand, the word insure is used in the sense of ‘cover’ or ‘assure’. This is the basic difference between the two words.
• The sense of cover in the word insure truly means to offer protection against accidents and theft.
• Ensure is often followed by the word that. However, that is not the case with insure.
• The word insure is immediately followed by the object.
These are the important differences between the two words, namely, insure and ensure.
Images Courtesy: